Maya Weug, «I’m really excited to start the season»

Maya Weug (OK) and Julia Ayoub (OKJ), will have the opportunity to participate in a full international season in 2019 with the colors of Richard Mille inside the Birel ART Racing Team.

Following Maya Weug tells the 2018 just passed and the new adventure 2019.

- Maya tell us about your 2018
«Last season was my second season in OKJ and my first full season with Lenzokart. I started racing with them in the WSK final cup in 2017 and we had a pretty good start with a p6 in the second race at Adria. I really felt at home with the team and I learned a lot and improved a lot over the season. We had a fastest lap at La Conca and were fighting for the podium in Sarno. We were also quite strong in the World Championship at Kristianstad in all the different conditions and finished in p16 despite having problems with the set of tyres we put on in the final. In the last race of the WSK at Adria I was fastest in the dry and second fastest in qualifying. It is a real shame we missed out on a podium last year, but it was still an amazing year with a lot of great battles».

- Are you ready for the new adventure?
«This year will be a very important year for me. I was selected for the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy and I am super excited to represent Birel Art, All Road Management and Richard Mille this year in the important international races. It will be my first season in OK which is a class I really like and that suits my driving style. It is also the toughest class with the best and most professional drivers in the world. The first race for me will be the Winter Cup in Lonato. Before we start racing we will also work together with the team at Formula Medicine to ensure we are in the best possible shape».

- How was the selection?
«I was invited to participate in the selection process for Richard Mille for which I had to compete with Mathilda Olson and Maja Hallen Fellenius for the OK seat. On the first day we went to the Birel Art factory, after a tour of the factory we saw our karts for the first time and got everything setup for the test in Lonato the next day. The second day we had 6 heats to show our skills. We all had an identical setup and tyres for the heats to make it as fair as possible. Maja has raced in the WSK and CIK FIA in OK last year and Mathilda was European Rotax Vice-champion in Senior, so they are both very fast and experienced drivers. At the end of the day we found out who got selected for OKJ and OK. Both Julia (Julia Ayoub, who was selected for OKJ) and I were quite emotional when we learned we had won the selection process».

- What is your goal for 2019?
«I think we have a really good package with Birel Art so I am really excited to start the season. It is my rookie year and I have a lot to learn, but I am a fast learner. The aim is to fight for the podium».

S.C.
Credits: Sportinphoto